There are many ways to use the web for good. If you’re creative, or if you read a lot web posts that do the creative research for you, there’s a whole universe of information out there that can help you learn ways to live a more sustainable lifestyle and find the resources to follow through. Let’s go through a 3-step process together.

Step #1 You’re Buying A Home

Congratulations, buying a home is a big and beautiful endeavor. To give you a head start on your commitment to the environment, Listed Green is a multiple listing service (MLS) exclusively for green homes and properties. The best part is, it’s open to the public, unlike other MLS services that are only accessible to real estate agents. The prescreened homes listed have qualities such as low-VOC interior paint, efficient heating and cooling equipment, water conservation equipment, etc. Also, the company itself is a sustainable business that does everything from utilizing solar power to donating to Global Green USA.

Step #2 You’re Looking for Resources to Green Your New Home

Now that you’ve got your new home, you want to learn more about sustainable design and find manufacturers that sell green building products. The Green Building Pages have all of this. An online tool designed for building industry professionals and socially responsible consumers such as yourself, the website’s offerings include:

• a search tool to help you find green product manufacturers and distributors by location
• a search tool to help you find products that could earn you LEED points
• a section devoted to sustainable design, complete with a design checklist and case studies
• links to over 400 green businesses and resources.

Step #3 You’ve Used Your Resources, Now It’s Payback Time

For being so web savvy and environmentally conscious, the government wants to give you money. Go to the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE) to find state, local, utility, and federal rebate information. Incentives that promote energy efficiency and renewable energy can be isolated by state, to help facilitate your search.